Belgium may start delivering F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this year, under an updated plan confirmed by the country's defense ministry. The transfer will coincide with the arrival of American fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets in the Belgian Air Force, while deliveries to the Ukrainian Air Force are expected to take four years, including this year.
This was reported on Friday, May 8, by the Belgian publication Le Vif, which also published a tentative timeline for F-16 deliveries to Ukraine, noting that it will ultimately be driven mainly by the operational needs of the Belgian military.
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According to preliminary plans reportedly confirmed by the Belgian Ministry of Defense, Ukraine may receive seven F-16 fighter jets this year, including four for training Ukrainian personnel, followed by five in 2027, 14 in 2028, and 27 in 2029 as the largest batch.
The total stands at 53 F-16 fighter jets, marking the first time this figure has been publicly disclosed.
When Belgium agreed in 2024 to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, it was officially announced that 30 aircraft would be supplied, and since then there has been no indication that the number could be higher.
However, in the three years since then, Belgium has not yet delivered a single fighter jet, despite earlier statements by Belgian officials pointing to 2025, and even 2024, as the expected start of deliveries. At the same time, Belgium recently emphasized that it has not announced any specific deadlines for the transfer of the fighter jets and that the process is linked to the strengthening of the country's air force.
For context, Belgium once had a fleet of 160 F-16 fighter jets, which has been reduced to 54 over the years. As of 2025, the Belgian Air Force had 42 F-16AM fighters and eight F-16BM aircraft in service, for a total of 50, as Belgium has begun phasing out these aircraft.
It is worth noting that not all of the 50 F-16s that Belgium reportedly plans to transfer to Ukraine are likely to be in operational condition, with some expected to be used for spare parts.
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